Merchant Shipping Act, 1894

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Examination in respect of ships in distress.

517.—(1) Where any ship, British or foreign, is or has been in distress on the coasts of the United Kingdom, a receiver of wreck, or at the request of the Board of Trade a wreck commissioner or deputy approved by the Board, or, in the absence of the persons aforesaid, a justice of the peace, shall, as soon as conveniently may be, examine on oath (and they are hereby respectively empowered to administer the oath) any person belonging to the ship, or any other person who may be able to give any account thereof or of the cargo or stores thereof, as to the following matters; (that, is to say,)

(a) The name and description of the ship;

(b) The name of the master and of the owners;

(c) The names of the owners of the cargo;

(d) The ports from and to which the ship was bound;

(e) The occasion of the distress of the ship;

(f) The services rendered; and

(g) Such other matters or circumstances relating to the ship, or to the cargo on board the same, as the person holding the examination thinks necessary.

(2) The person holding the examination shall take the same down in writing, and shall send one copy thereof to the Board of Trade, and another to the secretary of Lloyd’s in London, and the secretary shall place it in some conspicuous situation for inspection.

(3) The person holding the examination shall, for the purposes thereof, have all the powers of a Board of Trade inspector under this Act.

Dealing with Wreck.